(Updated) Water main break in Theater District cancels Charles Playhouse shows

A large and disruptive water main break in the Theater District led to the canceling of shows at the Charles Playhouse Sunday afternoon.

People outside the Charles Playhouse on Warrenton Street after Sunday afternoon's shows were canceled because of a water main break.Credit: Boston Fire Department

A large and disruptive water main break in the Theater District led to the canceling of shows at the Charles Playhouse Sunday afternoon.

The playhouse initially only canceled a 2 p.m. Blue Man Group performance and a 3 p.m. Shear Madness show. As the day went on, the playhouse canceled more shows scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, according to the Boston Fire Department.

An 8-inch water main ruptured at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday sending water spilling down Warrenton Street, the fire department said.

Crews were unable to shut off the water for hours and required a backhoe to come in and dig up the street so that the flow of water could be turned off. The water was eventually turned off just before 2 p.m.

While no water flowed into the building, the lack of water pressure caused by the break meant that the Playhouse had no working sprinkler system and no working toilets. That led to the cancelation of the shows, the fire department said.

The street would likely be shut down for hours while crews work to repair the water main.